Did Your Knee Surgery Create New Pain?

The Wall Street Journal—March 14, 2016

The Wall Street Journal's Laura Landro reports that an unpredictable complication following knee surgery is arthrofibrosis where a buildup of scar tissue after surgery causes stiffness, pain and difficulty bending joints. For this reason, medical researchers and physicians are working together to identify techniques that prevent excessive scar tissue from forming after surgery.

For example, David J. Mayman, MD, a hip and knee surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery, is conducting a clinical trial for patients with arthrofibrosis by "placing a membrane made of amniotic tissue from donated placenta in the knee during the procedure to remove scar tissue, called lysis of adhesions." Dr. Mayman also notes that the tissue has been used successfully for burn victims, as well as after eye surgery to prevent corneal scarring and to prevent adhesions after abdominal surgery. Following this clinical trial and additional research, the intent is to make the procedure available for orthopedic patients.